The present invention is directed to packages for dispensing fluid products such as body lotions, and more particularly to a disk-type toggle-action dispensing closure with a feature to prevent accidental opening of the closure during shipment to the consumer.
Disk-top toggle-action fluid dispensing closures conventionally include a base for securement to the finish of a container and an actuator disk pivotally mounted on the base. The disk is pivotal between a closed position that closes a dispensing opening in the closure base, and an open position for dispensing fluid product from the container and closure package. A package of this type is illustrated, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,862,963. The closure and package illustrated in this patent include an internal feature in abutment with the actuator disk to resist accidental opening of the actuator and package during shipment to the consumer. First depression of the actuator to open the package fractures this feature from the closure base. It is a general object of the present invention to provide a closure, a closure and container package, and a method of making a closure of the described type that include a feature for resisting initial opening of the actuator during shipment to a consumer, but which do not involve fracture of the feature from the closure.
A toggle-action dispensing closure in accordance with a presently preferred embodiment of the invention includes a base having an upper edge, and internal thread or bead for securement to a container, and a recessed deck disposed beneath the upper edge and having a fluid dispensing opening. A dispensing disk or actuator is pivotally mounted to the base above the deck, and includes a seal for cooperating with the dispensing opening for selectively opening and closing the dispensing opening, and a feature for resisting first movement of the actuator to open the dispensing opening. This feature comprises an element on a periphery of the disk having a sharp edge in opposed abutment with the upper edge of the base. First movement of the actuator to open the dispensing opening causes permanent deformation at the upper edge of the base and/or at the lower edge of the element, such that the element and the edge present a lesser resistance to opening of the actuator after such first opening. The deformation at the element and/or the upper edge of the base does not involve fracture of any portion from the base of actuator.
In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the element on the actuator periphery is wedge-shaped, having a generally rectangular portion with a central axis, and a sharp point centered on the axis and extending from the rectangular portion into abutment with the upper edge of the closure base. This wedge-shaped element is entirely integral with a peripheral wall on the actuator. In the preferred embodiment, the rectangular portion has an upper edge that is sloped radially inwardly toward the periphery of the actuator so as not to interfere with the opposing edge of the closure base during pivoting of the actuator to the fully open position. Other aspects of the invention involve a method of making such a toggle-action dispensing closure, and a package that includes such a toggle-action dispensing closure secured to an external thread or bead on a container.